Your mouth’s biting and chewing function is an intricate interplay of your teeth, jaws, lips, cheeks and tongue. Most of the time everything works in orderly fashion, but occasionally the soft tissues of the tongue or cheeks get in the way and are accidentally bitten. The resultant wound creates a traumatic fibroma, an overgrowth of tissue that develops to cover the affected area.

A fibroma consists of fibrous tissue made up of the protein collagen; this traumatized tissue functions much like a callous on a tender spot of skin by binding together the new tissues forming as the wound heals. But because the fibroma is raised on the surface of the cheek more than normal tissue, the chances are high it will be bitten again and reinjured, even multiple times. If this occurs the fibroma becomes tougher and more pronounced.

As it becomes raised and hardened in this way, it becomes more noticeable. More than likely, though, it poses no danger other than as an inconvenience. If it becomes too much of a nuisance, or you have concerns that it’s more than a benign growth, it can be removed with a simple fifteen-minute procedure. An oral surgeon, periodontist or dentist with surgical training will first anesthetize the area with a local anesthetic; the fibroma is then completely excised (removed) and the wound opening sutured with two or three small sutures. Any post-procedure discomfort should be mild and easily managed by pain medication like aspirin or ibuprofen.

Although it’s highly unlikely the fibroma is cancerous, the excised tissue should then be sent for biopsy. Viewing the tissue microscopically is the only definitive way to determine the true nature of the tissue and confirm any diagnosis that the tissue is benign. This is no cause for alarm as it’s a standard healthcare procedure to biopsy this particular kind of excised tissue.

“Bumps and lumps” are common occurrences in the mouth. It’s a good idea to point them out to us during your regular checkups or at any time if you have a concern. In either case, this bothersome problem can be easily treated.